The Maharashtra government on 30 October 2026 unveiled a sweeping action plan to secure a steady supply of fodder for livestock across 304 drought-hit talukas, following a rainfall deficit attributed to El Niño conditions. The plan, formalised through an official government resolution (GR) issued the same day, mandates a minimum 5 per cent allocation of each district's annual planning fund toward fodder production, conservation, and the development of alternative sources.

Key Measures in the Action Plan

Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde announced the initiative on Friday, outlining a multi-pronged approach that includes establishing district-level fodder banks, promoting hydroponics and azolla cultivation, facilitating inter-district fodder transport, and rolling out a digital management system for cattle camps. The plan was developed on the recommendations of an expert group chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department, under a cabinet sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The sub-committee accepted the recommendations on 27 October 2026.

For the upcoming Rabi season, seeds for low-water, multi-cut fodder crops will be made available through Mahabeej and other producers. Cultivation is planned on agricultural university lands, taluka seed multiplication centres, agro-corporation plots, and institutional land under the Animal Husbandry Department.

Fodder Sourcing and Price Controls

To diversify supply, coordination across departments will promote fodder cultivation on gayran (grazing lands), grasslands, and barren or fallow lands. With support from the Water Resources Department, silt-bed (gaalpera) areas will be opened to farmers and herders, and Forest Department grass will be harvested and stored in a timely manner. District-level fodder banks will be established with participation from Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), companies, and NGOs.

To keep costs in check, base prices — excluding transport — have been fixed at a maximum of ₹12 per kg for dry fodder and ₹8 per kg for silage. A state-wide training campaign will equip livestock owners with skills in efficient harvesting, storage, silage making, urea and enzyme treatment, and the value addition of paddy straw. Notably, the use of fodder for industrial purposes — including packaging, biofuels, and power generation — has been banned to prioritise animal feed. District Collectors have been authorised to legally prevent fodder from being transported outside Maharashtra.

Digital Monitoring and Cattle Camp Management

A state-level online Cattle Camp Monitoring and Management System will track animal registration, daily attendance, fodder distribution, water supply, veterinary care, and expenditure in real time. Camps will be required to implement biometric or QR code attendance, verification through the Bharat Pashudhan system, and 24/7 CCTV surveillance. Alternative cultivation techniques including hydroponics, azolla, and spineless cactus will also be promoted, with pilot production planned at veterinary dispensaries.

Administrative Framework and Industry Participation

District-level drought management review committees will be chaired by Guardian Ministers and supported by executive committees led by District Collectors. Sugar factories, dairy cooperatives, gaushalas, and NGOs are expected to play an active role, leveraging sugar cane tops, bagasse, and molasses as supplementary fodder resources. CSR funds will be tapped for camp infrastructure and water supply. This comes amid growing concern that extended dry spells linked to El Niño could strain livestock in Maharashtra's rain-shadow regions well into the next agricultural cycle — making institutional preparedness, rather than reactive relief, the central priority of this policy shift.